Report would 'transform' education, but critic says there's nothing new

FRANKFORT — Reorganizing the state Early Childhood Development Authority, providing more money for preschool programs, creating family literacy programs and improving efforts to recruit high-quality teachers are among recommendations by a gubernatorial task force to "transform" K-12 education in Kentucky.

Legislation that would fulfill one of the group's recommendations — raising Kentucky's mandatory school attendance age to 18 — has been approved by the House and is being considered in the Senate.

Gov. Steve Beshear created the Governor's Task Force on Transforming Education in Kentucky in fall 2009. The panel — composed of parents, teachers, educators, legislators and business leaders— has spent 15 months researching ways for Kentucky to better prepare its students for success. The panel presented its final list of 35 recommendations to Beshear on Monday.

"Kentucky has a history of innovative educational initiatives ... . But today's world requires a different core of knowledge that all students need for success," Beshear said.

"I appreciate the hard work of the task force to ensure that our students are armed with the skills necessary to compete in the workplace with their peers in other states and around the world."

While the task force's recommendations are generally straightforward, proposals that would involve increased state funding could face a struggle in tough economic times. The recommendations include:

■ Reorganize the Early Childhood Development Authority, providing support for students at all levels of kindergarten readiness.

■ Include enough money in the state budget to improve access to high-quality preschool programs.

■ Create family literacy programs, providing comprehensive family engagement in all schools, especially the lowest-achieving schools.

■ Include money in the state budget to expand programs for recruiting high-quality teacher candidates.